Warning shared by airlines over colour of suitcase you should never use when checking in luggage
We all know the stress of waiting for your luggage at the airport - waiting impatiently for the conveyer belt to kick in, praying that your luggage comes out in one piece and ready to pounce incase someone else accidentally grabs it.
Getting your luggage on the other side of your travels is an expectation rather than a bonus, but data from the BBC indicates that in 2022, 26 million pieces of luggage were lost, delayed or damaged.
In turn, airlines have weighed in on the conundrum, advising customers to avoid certain colours when choosing their bags for the holiday season, as a lot of people make the same mistake which leads to them losing their belongings.
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Passengers of budget airlines have already been warned about the positioning of their seats on planes, and how it links to the amount of turbulence you experience.
Ryanair has shared some advice about your choice of luggage this summer, highlighting that there are a few colours that you should avoid altogether.
If not, you risk getting your bag stolen or mistakenly picked up at baggage claim, leaving you with one of the biggest headaches of your life.
So it's crucial that if you're going shopping for a new check-in bag, you avoid these three colours, or if you are adamant your baggage must be one of these colours, you should make it stand out in a unique way using a bright luggage tag.
The airline explained: "Make it easier to spot your checked-in luggage on the carousel, especially if your luggage is black, navy or grey.
"Add a colourful luggage tag or ribbon to the handle so that there's no confusion on arrival."
These colours cause your bag to blend in with the majority, and heightens the chance of you missing out on it completely when it's on the conveyor belt and you're in a crowd of a few hundred people around it.
It's not just airlines that are warning passengers though, as Frankfurt Airport boss Stefan Schulte has urged people to avoid black luggage while travelling, as similar to Heathrow, his airport has struggled with baggage, as they are 'hard to distinguish from each other'.
A Frankfurt Airport spokesperson highlighted: “Many people travel with black suitcases on wheels which makes identifying them very time-intensive.”
Along with its colour, travellers should be wary about the material their suitcase has, as hardcover suitcases - though thought to be stronger - are actually less durable than softcover suitcases.
You may as well put the extra bit in if it means you're more likely to get your suitcase at your destination - let's try not to be one of the 26 million, eh?
Joshua Nair